Utrecht University's Faculty of Geosciences offers education and research concerning the geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and anthroposphere. With a population of 2,200 students (BSc and MSc) and 625 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The faculty is organised in four departments: Earth Sciences, Physical Geography, Innovation & Environmental Sciences, and Human Geography & Urban & Regional Planning.

The Department of Earth Sciences conducts teaching and research across the full range of the solid Earth and environmental Earth sciences, with activities in almost all areas of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, biogeology and hydrogeology. The Department hosts an international group of about 110 PhD's and postdoctoral researchers. It hosts a range of excellent laboratory facilities. The Department is currently looking for an enthusiastic

Project title:
"Reconstructing the evolution and the dynamics of the Antarctic cryosphere from Ocean Drilling: a dinoflagellate perspective".

The project aims at reconstructing the cryosphere evolution and dynamics of Antarctica along with changes in its marine ecosystems from its inception during the Greenhouse-Icehouse transition (~34 Ma) through subsequent periods of major climate changes during the Oligocene, Neogene and Quaternary.

This project will use material from sediment cores retrieved around Antarctica during IODP (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) Expedition 318 (Wilkes Land, East Antarctic margin) and other coring/drilling Expeditions to the Ross Sea, Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Southern Ocean.

The project is funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, Netherlands Polar Program (NWO-NNPP).

Qualifications:

This highly international and multidisciplinary project is primarily based on marine palynological (dinoflagellate cysts) and organic geochemical analyses. Close collaboration with colleagues from other disciplines makes a wide knowledge of proxies for climate reconstructions desirable.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual holding a PhD in a relevant field such as Geology/Earth Sciences, Biology, Environmental Sciences and/or Paleoceanography, and have experience in marine palynology and a basic understanding of organic geochemistry. Dinoflagellate expertise and a basic understanding of organic geochemistry (e.g., TEX86, MBT/CBT proxies), besides good communication skills, and e.g., willingness to travel and collaborate are a prerequisite.

Candidates should communicate easily in English, both verbally and in writing. He/she should be able to work in a team, but independently.

Terms of employment:

The successful candidate will be offered a full-time postdoc position for 3 years.

Employment conditions are based on the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities. The gross monthly salary is dependent on experience and will start between € 2.744 and 3.755 euro per month (based on full-time appointment). The salary is supplemented by a holiday allowance of 8% per year and a year-end bonus of 8.3% (salary rates per 1-1-2012). We also offer a pension scheme, a health insurance allowance and flexible employment conditions.

Further details:

For informal enquiries, contact dr. Francesca Sangiorgi, e-mail: f.sangiorgi@uu.nl.

How to apply:

Visit http://www.geo.uu.nl/vacancies, find the equivalent of this advertisement and fill in the application form. Please, attach your motivation for the position, a statement of your research interests, a curriculum vitae, and the names and contact addresses of two referees (with e-mail contact addresses).

Application deadline is January 20, 2012.